What is Family?
by Hoshiko
Summary: Shun asks the people around him what family means to them. Shun's POV (angsty in some parts)
1. Default Chapter

greenwood_wif1

**What is Family?**

**Part 1**

It all started five days ago. Well…more like five and a half days now…it's long past midnight. That's not the important thing though…or at least it's not my top priority. The reason that I'm in such big trouble?

Simple.

I opened my big mouth and asked a stupid question. At least I thought it was a stupid question at any rate. Not so with my journalism teacher. Did I forget to mention that? I'm taking a journalism class this term…it always sounded interesting to me. The chance to get to meet interesting people, maybe even travel a little…

If I'd known a little more about Masutani-sensei I might have decided to forego the entire course. As it was, I enrolled myself into Introductory Journalism, and that, I believe, was the start of it all. It was Friday afternoon, and as usual we were waiting for Masutani-sensei to arrive – he's always late on Fridays.

Something one of the other students said managed to get stuck in my mind, and it wouldn't leave me alone, so I turned to my seatmate and asked him what he thought a family was. The answer was so obvious to me, but I could tell that the other boy was…confused? That was when it happened.

Masutani-sensei must have just walked in when I voiced my question, because he had this strange look on his face.

"Shun," he said, his eyes lighting up, "I have a special assignment for you."

The little voice that usually screams at me to run far, far away whenever the sempai are up to something started up right about then.

"Shun, I want you to interview ten people, and I want you to ask them what they think a family is."

All I could do was stare. He was kidding, right? Everyone knows what a family is…a mother, father, maybe even a sibling or two. What was going on in that brain of his?

"Oh yes, and it needs to be no less than four thousand words long, but no more than five thousand words, with a five hundred word summary of your personal findings attached. The deadline is next Friday."

This time I blinked.

"Is something wrong?"

I shook my head slowly. That little voice in my head shrieked once in frustration and then fell eerily silent.

Masutani-sensei smiled, and it was all I could do to keep from bolting.

"Very well then, I wish you luck."

Class had continued as though nothing had just happened, although I could sense the sympathetic glances my classmates were giving me.

I put off interviewing people for the next two days, after all, how hard could it be? And besides, it was the weekend. If I make it a habit to _not_ do my homework during the week, why should the weekend be any different?

By the time Monday rolled around, I decided that I should at least figure out who the lucky people I was going to interview were. Naturally I thought of Suka, and the sempai, but that left seven more people to choose. Strangely enough, I never once thought about going outside of Greenwood for an interview…that in itself should have been an indication, but I of course was blissfully unaware.

I was walking back to our room with Suka when we passed by the infirmary. It was like in all those American cartoons where a light bulb pops up over some silly character's head. If I was doing an article on what makes a family, who better to interview than Suka's own brother?

Sneaking a sidelong glance at Suka, I thought it would most likely be best not to let him in on this little revelation of mine. It didn't look like he was having the best of days, and I knew he had a tutoring session with Mitsuru-sempai later that evening. While I didn't envy him, I also realized that that would be the perfect time to visit the Infirmary and ask my questions. Suka would never know.

Humming a half-forgotten song cheerily, I practically skipped the rest of the way back. Things were coming together, now I just needed to find six more people, and then conduct my interviews. I wasn't too worried about writing the actual article. _That_ would be easy. Throw in an occasional quote, add some non-controversial comments of my own here and there, a bit of double-speak, and I could write at _least_ five thousands words with no trouble.

Oh how very, very wrong I was. Not to mention unprepared.

What I had thought to be common knowledge, the basic structure of a family, turned out not to be at all! Everyone I interviewed had totally different answers, even Suka and Hasukawa-sensei. To say I was baffled would be an understatement. To say I learned nothing, that would be an outright lie.

I began my interviews with Hasukawa-sensei…that in and of itself was an education. I knew Suka tended to see him as a bit of an annoyance, and sometimes even as an embarrassment, but I had always felt a secret sort of bond with him. It might have something to do with the fact that we are both the eldest siblings in our respective families, but at times I have to wonder.

I love my little brother and sister dearly, but there are times when I desperately wish I had been born an only child. I was a bit surprised to discover that Hasukawa-sensei felt exactly the same.

"Kazuya can be such an ass at times, can't he Shun?"

Biting my lip to keep from agreeing too enthusiastically, I merely nodded, clutching my little notebook tightly in my hands. As much as I love Suka…there are times when even _I_ feel like smacking him with Mitsuru-sempai's rolled up magazine.

Hasukawa-sensei smiled…well, affectionately I suppose, and leaned back in his chair. Removing his glasses, he massaged the bridge of his nose, suddenly looking far older than he was.

"Did Kazuya tell you about our parents?"

I frowned a little, not knowing what to say. Of course I knew how Suka's parents had died, leaving him in the care of his older brother, but I had no idea how to proceed. Suka treated it as something that had happened long ago, and while it obviously was not a happy memory, he could deal with it now without breaking down. I did not know how Hasukawa-sensei would react.

"Hai, he did." I said hesitantly, suddenly uneasy.

"That somewhat disrupts the normal image of a family then doesn't it?"

"I…" Well, dammit, it did.

Hasukawa-sensei smiled again, not that condescending smile I had seen directed so many times at Suka, but a real one.

"I don't know what the others will tell you, Shun, but my family is Hasukawa and Sumire…my parents too, but they're no longer 'with us', so to speak. The moment they died, my view of 'family' changed, like it did when I met and then later married Sumire. I suspect that that will continue to change as time goes by. Right now, however, I can tell you that my family is made up of the people I love and care for…even my in-laws."

That made me smile, as it was intended to. It made me sad, to think about the day when I would no longer have my parents to rely on, but I knew that I would be able to go on.

Thanking Hasukawa-sensei for his time, I left, thinking about what he'd told me. I found that I was eager to discover what the other people on my list would have to say. Perhaps Masutani-sensei had been on to something when he gave me this assignment after all.

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TBC...

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	2. Chapter 2

greenwood_wif2

**What is Family?**

**Part 2**

When I got back to my room, I was a bit surprised to see that Hasukawa's study lesson with Mitsuru-sempai was still in progress. I was even more surprised to find that Shinobu-sempai was sitting in Suka and my room, calmly going over his math homework. I opened my mouth to speak when a loud _thwack_ sounded clearly through the wall, accompanied by Suka's irritated complaint.

Glancing up at me, Shinobu-sempai rolled his eyes, the hint of a smile on his lips. Grinning, I shut the door behind me and seated myself on the edge of my bunk. I was going over the notes I had taken during my interview with Hasukawa-sensei when I realized Shinobu-sempai was watching me.

"What are you working on, Shun?"

Blinking, I smiled uncertainly. There was a note of curiosity in his voice that I had long ago learned to be wary of. Looking up, I saw that he had closed his textbook and was regarding me with his full attention. I felt that familiar stirring of dread in my stomach…having _any_ amount of Shinobu-sempai's attention is generally not a good thing.

"Oh nothing, really. It's a special assignment for my journalism class." I said, smiling brightly.

"If I may ask, what is it about?"

I felt my eyes widen a little. He was entirely too interested for my peace of mind.

"Masutani-sensei overheard me ask my seatmate a question, and he thought that I should do an article on it."

Despite the fact that I wanted to interview Shinobu-sempai for my article, I was starting to have second thoughts about _that_ idea.

"Really."

_Thwack_.

Startled by the sudden disturbance, I couldn't help but smile as Suka started in on Mitsuru-sempai, his voice that of someone who'd been pushed too far. Shinobu-sempai sighed as the sounds of what could generously be termed a 'scuffle' ensued. I spared a moment of pity for Shinobu-sempai, past instances of the other two's 'arguments' flashing through my mind. At least they were in the sempai's room this time. Any furniture damage or resultant mess from their 'disagreement' would not be my problem.

Partly to keep myself distracted from the noises coming from the other room, and partly out of some long-dormant sense of responsibility, I flipped to a blank page in my notebook and looked up at Shinobu-sempai. He cocked his head to one side, patiently waiting for me to speak.

"Ne Shinobu-sempai, would you mind if I interviewed you for my article?"

He smiled, and his eyes seemed to light up. I felt a moment of almost-terror at that…now I knew why Masutani-sensei's smile had so unnerved me. It was the same exact one that Shinobu-sempai used.

"That depends Shun. What is your article about?"

I took a deep breath to steady myself. Shinobu-sempai watched me quietly, and I felt grateful that he was allowing me the time I needed to regain my composure. The question itself wasn't the hard part, it was _asking_ it that was difficult. If I was surprised by Hasukawa-sensei's answer, and I barely knew him, what would hearing Shinobu-sempai's answer be like?

"What does family mean to you?" I asked, forcing myself to meet Shinobu-sempai's eyes.

Shinobu-sempai didn't so much as freeze, so much as he went completely and utterly still. I wasn't even sure he was still breathing, until he sighed.

"Shinobu-sempai? Are you all right? I'm sorry if my question –"

I broke off as Shinobu-sempai raised his hand to forestall further apologies from me. I was suddenly nervous, and worried. Belatedly I remembered the fact that Nagisa-san was related to Shinobu-sempai… _How_ could I have forgotten? Was he mad at me?

"Shun," I flinched inwardly, wondering if I was going to regret having even _thought_ of interviewing Shinobu-sempai, "Were you planning on interviewing Mitsuru, as well?"

Totally confused, I nodded.

"Then would you do me a favor?"

Again I nodded. The saying about curiosity and cats ran fleetingly through my mind, but my subconscious squashed it before it fully caught my attention.

"Would you mind not interviewing me until you've had a chance to talk to Mitsuru? If you don't mind, that is."

Even had he not had such a strange statement on his face I would have done as he asked. I could tell he was up to something, and I wanted to know _what_.

"Of course, Shinobu-sempai. That's no problem."

He smiled again, and I felt the coils of dread loosen a tiny bit.

I was relieved that he wasn't angry with me, but that didn't change the fact that Shinobu-sempai was _planning something_.

"Thank-you, Shun. I appreciate it, although I would wait until tomorrow to interview Mitsuru if I were you." There was no mistaking the amusement in his voice, and the cat-like smirk of his made me uneasy for some reason.

Suddenly I became aware that all sound issuing from the other room had ceased. Following Shinobu-sempai's gaze, I could only gape, open-mouthed at what I saw.

Standing unsteadily in the open doorway – he must have opened it while I was talking to Shinobu-sempai – was the battered, rumpled figure of my roommate. He shot the both of us a dirty look before falling flat on his face.

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TBC...

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	3. Chapter 3

Due to the fact that my roommate had managed to not only render himself

**What is Family?**

**Part 3**

Due to the fact that my roommate had managed to not only render himself, but Mitsuru-sempai as well, into a state of unconsciousness, I was unable to interview either of them until late the next day. Taking a closer look at them during lunch, I decided that it would be best to put off interviewing them until later…doing so possibly couldn't hurt any.

While they weren't exactly hostile towards each other, neither were they about to spout exclamations of undying love and friendship anytime soon.

Mindful of the promise I had given Shinobu-sempai the night before, I turned to the other names on my list of interviewees, and immediately began to wonder what I thought I was doing. For some twisted reason, I had added Bonda-sempai – the cult leader - to my list. Staring at the name, written in the looping, flowing handwriting I recognized only too well as my own, I racked my brain for the reason I had chosen him.

Maybe it was that odd little part of me that had always been fascinated in other people…or maybe it was the fact that I had been desperate to find ten people to interview, I'm not sure which. I suspect it was the latter of the two, but then again…

Whatever my motivation, I grabbed my trusty notebook and pen and proceeded to Bonda-sempai's room. I was surprised to _not_ hear the familiar drone of chanting voices as I drew near…it just wasn't normal. There are certain things I've come to expect here at Greenwood: Mitsuru-sempai swiping Suka's food, Suka's incoherent sputterings, Shinobu-sempai's intricate plots, Furusawa-sempai putting his foot through the stairs on a nearly daily basis, and the monotonous chanting from Bonda-sempai's room. Feeling a bit…well, lost, I tentatively knocked on Bonda-sempai's door, uncertain of what I would find.

Frowning as minutes passed and there was still no answer, I knocked harder, doing my best not to fidget. I was starting to feel a bit self-conscious standing out in the hall with my notebook and pen, when the door across the hall cracked open and a dark-haired boy stuck his head out.

"Bonda's not here. There's been some kind of family emergency."

"Oh…thank-you." I murmured, feeling unusually awkward.

Flashing me a small grin the other boy shook his head and waved me off before ducking back into his room. Lost in my thoughts, I wandered back to my room, oblivious of my surroundings. Of course I hoped that whatever had happened was not a serious event, but I was curious as to what constituted a 'family emergency' for Bonda-sempai.

Was one of his parents sick? Did one of his siblings get in some kind of accident? Just thinking about it made my stomach churn…to imagine my own little brother or sister, or even my parents in a situation like that… Giving myself a mental shake, I decided that for now my article could wait; I needed to get outside.

Stopping by my room, I saw that Suka wasn't there, to my relief. I don't think I could have handled his bumbling concern at the moment. Oh Suka tries, and I know he really does care, but it's like there's a part of him that's so afraid of being hurt that makes it almost impossible for him to really open up.

Sometimes it's better to go off and brood by yourself too, it gives you the time to think things out without having to worry about anything else.

Grabbing a light jacket - the weather had turned unseasonably cool - I made my way outside with minimal interruptions. It takes a certain ability to be able to survive life at Greenwood, considering all of the odd goings-on that take place here. Sidestepping a few excitable students here and there has become second nature, and is in fact one of the easier things to do. Smiling and exchanging pleasantries with those students I knew, and even a few I didn't as well, I stepped outside and drew in a deep breath, releasing it slowly through my mouth.

Choosing a direction at random, I began walking, my thoughts a jumbled mess. I kept hearing the other boy's voice in my mind, over and over again. 'There's been some kind of family emergency.'

Again I felt that sympathetic surge of fear…how could I not? No one, I was positive, would ever _want_ to hear those words spoken. It brought up unpleasant images in my mind, and I have to think that whoever said that a creative imagination is a wonderful thing was unbelievably cruel. That or very, very shortsighted.

The familiar sting at the back of my eyes brought me up short. Just the thought of my family being hurt, or sick…or _worse_ made me want to cry. What must Bonda-sempai have felt when some near stranger said those words to him? Had he been on the verge of tears, like I was? Did he experience the sensation of the floor falling out from under him?

Was his faith enough to give him the strength he must have needed? It was like everything in my mind came to a jolting stop at that single thought…there was no hidden sarcasm in it, which surprised me.

Others, myself among them at times, may have poked fun at Bonda-sempai and his followers for their…zeal, but that never deterred them. If it gave them something to latch onto, something to believe in during their darker hours, then how could that be wrong?

Perhaps a bit unusual, but that's something they must deal with on their own, isn't it?

I shook my head, a small sigh leaving me. Looking up, I was only slightly surprised at where I had ended up. Greenwood stood before me; windows alight with a soft golden glow from within. It was later than I had expected, and I realized with a start that I had missed dinner, but that did not matter. I'd needed the time to think, and as I walked up to the old building, I made a note to myself to do something nice for Bonda-sempai when he returns.

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TBC...

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	4. Chapter 4

greenwood_wif4

**What is Family? **

**Part 4**

I was walking up the stairs to the second floor, having to step over yet another broken step no doubt caused by Furusawa-sempai, when I noticed something odd. It wasn't something I had particularly paid attention to before, but for some reason I happened to at that moment.

Like in any school anywhere you might happen to be, there were the usual, well, clumps, I suppose, of students standing around and talking. That was not unusual; after all, human beings are social animals - it says so in my psychology text.

What _was_ unusual was the way the little clusters were formed…it made me think of some nature documentary a bit; the way a herd of antelope or gazelle will instinctively surround their young to protect them from any sort of danger.

Or maybe, I thought, starting up the second landing, it was more like in those old American westerns where the pioneers would form those funny little wagons of theirs into a circle for protection during an attack.

Whatever the cause, I couldn't help but smile. No matter how much humans may pride themselves on being a technologically advanced race, old instincts die hard.

Shaking my head, I wound my way through the obstacle course of human bodies that is a school dorm at any time of day, and with a faint feeling of relief, opened the door to my room.

Long experience had taught me to always look down before entering my room. After that first, and hopefully the _only_ time I had accidentally trod upon my roommate… well, it was not something I would care to repeat.

I will say this though; Suka has a wonderful set of lungs. Students all the way on the other side of Greenwood heard his scream.

Satisfied that I was not about to literally walk all over my roommate, I glanced up and grinned when I realized he was slumped over a pile of homework at the desk.

Common sense dictated that I should have been slaving away at my own private little mountain range of homework as well, but as I have often heard it said, common sense and myself do not mix well.

Plopping myself down on my bunk, I reached behind me and rooted around in the little bookcase there until I found what I wanted, the newest edition of my favorite manga publication. Flipping it to the page where I'd last left off I immersed myself in the story, oblivious of my surroundings.

Oblivious that was, until Suka threw his pencil down in frustration and gave that little groan of his that told me that he desperately wanted to keel over and die.

Sighing, I set aside my manga and turned my head so that I was staring at his back. He was holding his head in his hands, elbows planted on the desk, staring blankly, or so I assumed, at the papers in front of him. It was a sight that I had long grown used to as his roommate.

Taking a closer look, I sighed to myself as I recognized the stubborn set to his shoulders – I would have to be the one to start the conversation. Again, something I had gotten used to. Sitting up, I turned to face him, knowing that eventually he would turn around in his chair to look at me.

It was almost like a ritual between us; he would keep everything bottled up inside until it came to a boil, and I would coax whatever was bothering him out into the open. Then we would examine it together like a pair of scientists, until we had taken it apart down to the molecular level and it was no longer a problem to either of us.

"Suka, is something wrong?" I asked, although only someone who was half-blind and stupid would have thought otherwise.

I watched his shoulders tense, counting the seconds ticking by in my head as I waited patiently. If this was a ritual, then there were set rules that went along with it.

Half a minute later, his whole body just seemed to…sag.

I felt my eyes narrow. Things weren't going the way they should have, and that worried me. Usually by that time, he would have turned around to face me and started ranting. When he just sat there, looking so _lost_, I wasn't quite sure what to do.

"Suka?"

Standing up, I walked over to the desk and crouched beside him, looking up into his face. Where his body language said he was uncertain of what to do, where to go next, his eyes told a different story. They were filled with hurt, and something like betrayal.

"Suka, what's wrong? Tell me, please!" I begged, catching hold of his shirtsleeve, imploring him with my own eyes to _look_ at me dammit, to say something, _anything_.

Frantically I ran through the events of the past week, trying to figure out what could possibly have made Suka like this, when I felt my blood go cold.

"Is this about that fight you had with Mitsuru-sempai? Did he do something to you? If he did-"

Certain that something had happened between them while I had been out reaching some sort of stupid epiphany, I got to my feet and started towards the sempai's room, hands clenched into fists at my side.

All I could think was that if, somehow, Mitsuru-sempai had hurt Suka, I would make him sorry he had ever done it.

Looking back on it now, I am indescribably glad that Suka stopped me when he did. It was as if all rational thought had fled the moment I suspected Mitsuru-sempai was the cause of Suka's distress.

If, by some miracle, I'd managed to provoke a fight between Mitsuru-sempai and myself, there was no possible way I could have _beaten_ him. And then there would have been Shinobu-sempai to contend with as well.

The only thing that mattered was Mitsuru-sempai had done, or said, _something_ to Suka to make him feel like this, and I wasn't going to stand for it.

Like I said, rational thought had all but abandoned me by then. I was left with a sudden, inexplicable _need_ to protect my friend.

"Shun, wait!"

Startled by Suka's outburst, I whirled around to see this strange, wavery little smile on his face.

"Do you honestly think that you could take on Mitsuru in a fight, and live?"

I blinked, suddenly realizing the folly of my recklessness. I felt my eyes widen as I, quite vividly, visualized the outcome of such an event between Mitsuru-sempai and myself. Shuddering, I slowly walked over to Suka where I sat on my heels, somewhat annoyed to see that he was now grinning, some of that amusement reaching his eyes.

"I could have, you know." I protested sullenly.

Suka graced me with one of his oh-so-elegant snorts of derision.

Glowering now, I crossed my arms over my chest, realizing that it made me look like a petulant child but not really giving a damn at the moment.

"No you couldn't, but thank you anyway."

Any residual anger or annoyance I may have felt at that moment faded at Suka's heartfelt thanks.

"It doesn't have anything to do with Mitsuru, Shun. It's something…personal."

Meeting his eyes, I saw something in them that warned me not to push just then, and I gave in to that silent plea. Whatever it was that was bothering him was something he just wasn't ready to talk about right then, and I had no choice but to accept that.

I was also somewhat relieved, as well. Although I would have been willing to do it, for Suka's sake, I didn't really want to fight Mitsuru-sempai – he _is_ my friend after all.

Nodding, I stood and walked over to the small closet and changed into my pajamas. There was a comfortable silence between us as I climbed into bed, picking up the manga I'd been reading and setting it back in its place in the bookcase. Suka went back to working on his homework and I fell asleep to the soft scratch of graphite on paper interspersed with Suka's muttered grumbling.

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TBC...

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	5. Chapter 5

The next day I actually managed to surprise myself by tracking down the majority of the people on my list

**What is Family?**

**Part 5**

The next day I actually managed to surprise myself by tracking down the majority of the people on my list. This was mainly, I think, due to the fact that I was still worried about Suka.

Throwing myself wholeheartedly into my homework seemed a practical way of keeping myself distracted until Suka was ready to talk. And besides, even _I_ can't avoid doing homework forever…much as I would like to.

The answers I received from the people I interviewed during the course of the day varied from heartwarming to downright disturbing. It's probably best that most of what I was told will remain unsaid. After all, I doubt Masutani-sensei would care to know all the intimate little details I was subjected to – in fact; to be honest, neither would I.

Needless to say, the residents of Greenwood as a whole are certainly an…unusual bunch. I sincerely hope it's not genetic…for the sake of their future children.

At lunch that afternoon, I was relieved to see that Suka and Mitsuru-sempai were pretty much back to their old routine, although Suka didn't really seem _too_ determined to keep Mitsuru-sempai from his food. Shinobu-sempai noticed right away, of course.

He gave me a questioning glance, and I was forced to shrug; I didn't know what was going on with my roommate either.

I saw Shinobu-sempai's eyes narrow slightly in contemplation. Judging from the look on his face, I knew without a doubt, that Shinobu-sempai would worm the answer out of Suka before the day was over.

"Shun," I glanced up from my meal warily; something in Shinobu-sempai's voice setting off warning bells in my mind. "How's that journalism assignment of yours coming along?"

I didn't miss the way Mitsuru-sempai and Suka shifted their attention to us.

"It's going great, Shinobu-sempai," I beamed. "I only have three more interviews left to do."

"You don't say. It sounds like you've been busy, Shun."

The dangerous smoothness to Shinobu-sempai's voice only helped to confirm my earlier suspicions.

"Hai."

"Who else were you planning to interview?"

If I hadn't been paying close attention, I would have missed it: The barest flicker of _something_ in those green-gray eyes.

"I was hoping, that I could interview the three of you."

One elegant silvery eyebrow rose in silent inquiry.

"Why certainly, Shun. I would be pleased to help." Shinobu-sempai said, turning his gaze to Mitsuru-sempai and Suka expectantly.

Silence.

Shinobu-sempai's eyes narrowed even further, giving him a somewhat sinister appearance. Strange, how I had never noticed that before.

Sitting beside him, Mitsuru-sempai gave a little start. I pretended not to notice the way he reached down to rub his shin. Suka eyed the sempai warily for a moment, and then continued eating.

Mitsuru-sempai cleared his throat, his eyes sliding towards Shinobu-sempai as he spoke.

"What I _meant_ to say, Shun, was that I would be _glad_ to help you with your journalism assignment. Come by our room after class, all right?"

"That would be perfect," I grinned, "arigato, Mitsuru-sempai."

"It's no problem, Shun. We're glad to help out." Mitsuru-sempai replied cheerily, chopsticks darting towards Suka's plate.

"And what about you, Hasukawa?"

Glowering at Mitsuru-sempai, Suka shot Shinobu-sempai a suspicious look.

"What about me?"

"Oh, he's more than willing to help, aren't you, Suka?" I blurted, elbowing him sharply in the side.

Giving me one of his annoyed looks, Suka reluctantly nodded.

"Of course I am."

It was obvious that Suka was still more than a little upset, considering the way he had been acting all day. I suppose that's what led to what I now think of as 'the inevitable.'

There must have been something in Suka's tone of voice that Shinobu-sempai picked up on, because the next thing I knew, they were embroiled in a bizarre staring match – a contest of wills that could have had only one possible outcome.

Mitsuru-sempai watched in obvious amusement, one corner of his mouth twitching slightly. I just wanted to bury my face in my hands at the utter futility of it all, but there was a tiny part of me that silently cheered Suka on, even though I _knew_ what would happen.

It wasn't really a surprise when Suka looked away first; after all, no one has ever been able to stare Shinobu-sempai down. But it was kind of disheartening to see it, the way Suka's face flushed a dark red, his ears bright enough to match his hair.

"Well, that's that. We'll see you after classes let out, Shun." Mitsuru-sempai said, grinning smugly as he and Shinobu-sempai got to their feet.

Shinobu-sempai was smiling that enigmatic little smile of his that failed to reveal what he was feeling, or thinking, at any particular moment. Looking up at him, I got the impression that he wasn't exactly _ecstatic_ about his victory, but there was a definite feeling of satisfaction about him, nonetheless.

Unable to say anything just then, I waved silently, watching as they gathered their trays and left the cafeteria. When I sure it was safe to do so, I released the breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

One thing was certain, I realized, glancing at Suka; when Shinobu-sempai has his mind set on something…it's best to go along with it. It's less painful that way.

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TBC...

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	6. Chapter 6

After my final class of the day

**What is Family?**

**Part 6**

After my final class of the day, I hurried back to my room, slightly surprised to realize I was the first of our little group to get back to Greenwood. Closing the door after myself, I dropped my book bag beside the desk as I hurried to the closet where I changed out of the stifling school uniform.

Ties, I decided, had to be one of the most uncomfortable pieces of clothing ever created in the history of man. It was basically a little hangman's noose – _what_ was the message in that?

Running a hand through my hair to smooth it out, I glanced out the window, catching sight of Mitsuru-sempai and Shinobu-sempai making their way to the front of the building, side by side.

There was something _right_ about that image that I couldn't quite put my finger on at the moment. In all the time I've known them, I can't remember an instance when I ever saw one without the other close behind. It was just one of those things you didn't question.

It simply was.

Smiling to myself, I turned away from the window and grabbed my book bag, carrying it over to my bunk. Undoing the little latch, I reached inside, drawing out the notebook that was nearly filled with interview notes - all neatly jotted down in my handwriting.

Setting that aside, I dug deeper in my book bag until my fingers brushed the pen that had somehow become separated from the notebook. Pulling it out, I grimaced as I discovered that the cap had come off, and that ink was staining the inside of my book bag.

Sighing, I took the rest of my textbooks and notebooks out, placing them in a haphazard pile on the floor by my feet. I felt some form of relief that none of my school things were irrevocably damaged.

Setting my book bag aside to dry out, I studied the globule of ink that had attached itself to my hand. I thought it somewhat fascinating the way it managed to keep its shape, even as I turned my hand this way and that.

Well, it was more of an amorphous blob, than anything else, but it seemed fairly determined not to ooze any further down my hand.

Looking up as I heard the sound of footsteps outside in the hall, I suddenly realized that I should have probably been doing something else instead of musing on the marvels of ink.

Giving myself a mental shake, I got to my feet, idly wondering if I would be able to wash the ink off, or if I was doomed to have a permanently discolored hand.

Opening the door with my non-disfigured hand, I stepped out into the hallway, having to weave my way through the mass of students to get to the bathroom. To my relief, I was able to wash most of the ink off, although there was an unpleasant looking purple-black splotch on the palm of my hand that I couldn't get rid of. Hopefully, it would come off in time.

Making my way back to my room, I belatedly remembered that Suka had track practice that afternoon, which meant that I would have to interview him after the sempai. I vaguely remembered him complaining about it the other day – it seemed the track coach had decided to call an 'emergency' practice due to the track meet the next week.

I smiled at the memory. Suka had been absolutely certain that the track coach had it out for him until I pointed out that he thought _everyone_ was out to get him. His reaction to that had been absolutely _priceless_.

Chuckling to myself, I passed the sempai's room when the door opened and Shinobu-sempai stepped out. I had to do an awkward little backwards skip to avoid bumping into him.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Shinobu-sempai, I wasn't watching where I was going." I apologized, smiling sheepishly.

"That's quite all right, Shun. Accidents happen."

Had Shinobu-sempai said those words in any other tone of voice I don't think I would have been quite so…relieved to hear them. He has a way of making the simplest of phrases sound like a threat.

As it was, I nodded to indicate my agreement.

"Where are you going, Shinobu-sempai?" I asked curiously, seeing that he was no longer dressed in his school uniform.

A flash of annoyance flitted across his face, and for the briefest of moments I was worried that _I_ had somehow been the cause of it. Maybe his earlier words _had_ been a threat of some kind…

"I have some business to attend to as Student Council President. I'm afraid it might take until dinnertime."

I frowned, feeling a little bit sympathetic to Shinobu-sempai's situation. It couldn't have been easy to keep up the busy schedule he had, what with his schoolwork, his duties as Student Council President, the betting pools, and all those other little schemes of his that he _always_ had going on the side.

"I guess I'll have to interview you last, then, Shinobu-sempai." I said thoughtfully, mentally rearranging my interview schedule.

"Think of it this way, Shun: at least you won't have to worry about being interrupted during your interview with Mitsuru."

Looking up in surprise, I saw that he was smirking – that unnerving expression of his that had sent many a person running the other way – as fast as their legs could carry them.

"I'll see you later, Shun. Good luck." Shinobu-sempai called over his shoulder as he walked away.

I was left standing alone in the hallway, staring after him, rubbing my fingers together in a nervous habit I had not indulged in for _years_.

The sound of a door slamming somewhere down the hall snapped me out of my thoughts. Shaking my head and muttering darkly to myself under my breath, I shook my hands out at my side and continued on to my room, forcefully trying to push thoughts of Shinobu-sempai and his devious plots out of my mind.

Naturally, I failed.

Ever since the night I had first asked to interview him, Shinobu-sempai had seemed so determined that I interview Mitsuru-sempai before him. And now, he was practically giddy – well, giddy for him, at any rate – knowing that I would be interviewing Mitsuru-sempai in private. And without any interruptions.

I had no idea what he was planning, or even _why_, but I decided that it was probably best that I didn't. As they say, ignorance is bliss.

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TBC...

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	7. Chapter 7

What is Family? Part 7

**What is Family?**

**Part 7**

Moments later found me standing outside the closed door to the sempai's room, studying the wood grain patterns with a somewhat unhealthy degree of interest.

To say that I was perfectly calm would be an outright lie. To say that I was nervous would be an understatement. To say that I was unbelievably, ravenously, curious wouldbe but scratching the surface of the matter.

I had waited _days_ for the chance to interview the three people closest to me, and now that the time was upon me…

Shifting my weight from one foot to the other, I ignored the strange looks I was garnering from the other dorm residents as I continued to stare at the closed door. I'm still not sure what made me do it, but I reached out and placed my hand against the door, and simply stood there.

There was no sudden jolt of electricity, no unexplained bolt of lightning from the heavens – only a strangely fitting sense of…_something._

And then the door opened.

It was hard to say which one of us was more surprised – Mitsuru-sempai or myself.

"Shun?"

Dropping my arm at my side, I grinned brightly at Mitsuru-sempai. He blinked at me, and I shuffled my feet again, fighting the urge to play with my hair.

We stood like that for a few moments, neither sure of what to do, the sounds of everyday life going on around us. Finally, he seemed to notice the notebook I held in my hand, and a look of realization crossed his face.

"Oh. That's right, you wanted to interview me for your article, ne?"

Grabbing onto the proffered opening like a drowning man for a life preserver, I nodded enthusiastically.

"Hai. But if this is a bad time…?"

Mitsuru-sempai smiled that smile of his that had been known to melt sterner hearts than mine. As I was faced with that guileless grin, I wondered to myself just how it was that Shinobu-sempai had been able to resist it for as long as he had - and then I remembered.

He was Shinobu-sempai. He didn't like to admit to weakness in any form, and for him, love must have seemed the worst kind of weakness.

"Huh? Oh, no. I was just going to get a drink of water, but it can wait. Come on in."Mitsuru-sempai said, stepping aside to let me by.

Returning Mitsuru-sempai's smile, I was glad that Shinobu-sempai had learned better. Love wasn't the weakness he thought, but a way of strengthening the bonds between two people.

"So, Shun. What's your article about, anyway? Shinobu wouldn't tell me."

Settling myself across from Mitsuru-sempai at the chabudai, I opened my notebook to a blank page and uncapped my pen. He sat watching me patiently, an inquisitive gleam in his violet eyes.

I paused at his words. Shinobu-sempai hadn't told him? That was strange. Knowing Mitsuru-sempai, he must have been bursting with curiosity. And Shinobu-sempai, who knew very well what my article was about, hadn't told him? I was beginning to get that all too familiar feeling of near dread again.

"Shinobu-sempai didn't mention it to you?" I asked tentatively, fiddling with the end of my hair anxiously.

Shaking his head irritably, Mitsuru-sempai scowled darkly.

"No. Shin's been pulling his smug bastard act all afternoon. Every time I asked, he just grinned and told me it was a secret."

"Aa."

Hardly the most enlightening thing to say, but at the moment it was all I was capable of.

Without warning, the amiable smile vanished from Mitsuru-sempai's face, a thin-lipped glower replacing it. I felt my eyes widen, and I could have sworn the temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees.

"Wait a minute – this doesn't have anything to do with the whole tanuki incident, does it?" He demanded suspiciously, eyes narrowing.

Well _that_ one got me. I didn't have the faintest clue as to what he was talking about, but I instinctively knew that I didn't want to. Somewhat along the lines of plausible deniability, I believe.

"Anou…no. It's an article Masutani-sensei wanted me to write for my journalism class." I replied; my hands white-knuckled from my tight hold on my pen.

Mitsuru-sempai treated me a moment longer to that menacing glare of his, and then…

"Oh. Well in that case, let's get on with it, shall we?"

"H…Hai." I stuttered, a little taken aback by the abrupt change in mood.

Mitsuru-sempai leaned back, relaxed and totally at ease. I was more than a little unnerved at the effortless manner in which he shifted from one persona to the next. It was almost as though they were carefully rehearsed roles - and he the experienced stage actor.

"Mitsuru-sempai," I began, looking up to meet his eyes, "what does family mean to you?"

The moment the words left my mouth, I damned myself for having spoken them.

Mitsuru-sempai's face paled, the cheerful smile on his face dying in increments as I watched his control shatter. Hurt filled his violet eyes, and I would have done anything I could have at that moment to banish it. I would have done anything to see the darkness in his eyes replaced with happiness, with mischief, with _anything_ but the bleakness I saw.

And then he smiled.

It hurt, to see him smile like that. To know he was smiling through the pain, trying to act as though my words had not just cut him to the core. It hurt to know that it had been _my_ words that stung him so cruelly, and it hurt to know that he did not blame me. It was like seeing a familiar stranger, one with Mitsuru-sempai's body, his smile – but his eyes…

His eyes showed the only sign of the torment that roiled within him, and I felt cold inside at the sight.

Desperately I searched my memories for a reason why my words had hurt Mitsuru-sempai so much, all the while watching him. I cringed inwardly as he tried to pass if off as nothing important. Then it hit me.

Mitsuru-sempai had been abandoned as a baby.

I closed my eyes and cursed myself for being several kinds of idiot. What had I been thinking…or had I been thinking at all? Of all the people I could have chosen to interview, Mitsuru-sempai was perhaps the worst possible choice.

Not because he was abandoned as a child, but because he was so hopelessly focused on what he thought he'd lost, that he couldn't see what he had.

"I'm sorry, Shun. Could you repeat the question, please?"

Wincing at the false cheer in his voice, I tore my gaze from my tightly clasped hands and met his violet one. I hated myself for it, but I did as he asked. I could do no less.

"What does family mean to you?"

This time, he hid the shock better, and I was relieved to see some of the darkness ebb from his eyes. He was still shaken, but no one can stay in the dark forever.

"Well, that's easy enough to answer, isn't it? I mean, obviously, a family is made up of parents and their offspring, right?"

  
I stared at Mitsuru-sempai, stunned that his words should so closely echo my thoughts from that fateful day nearly a week ago. And then I thought about everything I had learned since then, everything I had heard from the people I'd interviewed – and the ones I hadn't.

Looking away from Mitsuru-sempai's too-bright smile, I flipped to a certain page in my notebook, and began to read aloud from the notes scribbled there.

"'Family, to me, is the group of people I share my hopes, my dreams with.'" And then further down:"'…for me, a family is made up of the people who I've grown up with, the people who share the same memories as I do…'"

Still not looking up from the notebook held in my hands, I turned the page and read even more of the notes I had taken earlier.

"'…family is the bunch of people you care for most in the world, the people who know all your deepest wishes, your desires…'" I paused to decipher a tiny scribble in one corner of the page,"'…my family is made up of the people I love and care for…'"

When I finished, a heavy silence filled the room, tinged with uncertainty and something very much like fear. I found that I still could not meet Mitsuru-sempai's eyes, my eyes riveted to those last lines.

"Who…" Mitsuru-sempai stopped to clear his throat, his voice a hoarse rasp, "who said that last?"

I looked up, startled at the hesitance I'd heard in his voice, and I felt a surge of hope as I realized that he was no longer hiding behind his masks. The smile was gone, and in its place, there was confusion, fear, and something else I could not identify. I smiled at him, and closed my notebook with a flick of my wrist, surprising him a little, at that, I think.

"I can't tell you."

I laughed to myself as I saw a spark of Mitsuru-sempai's usual confident arrogance in his eyes.

"Shun…"

"I would be violating the trust my sources have in me if I revealed their names to you." I said primly, fighting the smirk that played about the corners of my mouth.

Mitsuru-sempai glared at me, his eyes narrowing in that familiar way, his eyebrows drawn up in a sharp 'v' of annoyance.

"Shun," he growled, "They are not your 'sources', you are not a journalist, and – "

"Mitsuru-sempai, what does it matter who said what? This interview was for me to ask you what _you_ think family means. Not someone else." I interrupted smoothly, allowing myself a small smile as he simply blinked at me.

"You didn't answer my question, Mitsuru-sempai. What does family mean to you?"

I watched, fascinated as he opened his mouth and closed it a few times, looking like nothing so much as a pond koi that I was hard pressed not to burst into laughter. Several long moments later, he blinked, and his eyes focused on me.

"I…can this wait, Shun? I have something I need to do right now."

Not totally unexpected, and I was beginning to suspect the reason why Shinobu-sempai had wanted this particular interview to go uninterrupted. Meeting his eyes, I saw the apprehension in them clearly.

"Of course, Mitsuru-sempai. Let me know when you'd like to finish the interview." I said, gathering my things and getting to my feet.

I felt a brief flare of anger at Shinobu-sempai. He must have known what would happen when I asked Mitsuru-sempai my question, and he let it happen anyway. It was almost cruel, but I could see the necessity of it. Mitsuru-sempai had tortured himself long enough with his foolish notions concerning his family.

What did it matter that they were not his biological family? The love they felt for him was just as strong, if not more so. And I know he loved them with an equal depth of emotion, it showed in the way he spoke of them, when he did.

It wasn't always easy to see, but if you bothered to look deep enough, you could see the longing in his eyes, the way he winced whenever someone mentioned a sibling or parent.

And yet, as I stood watching his receding form, I could not totally absolve myself of the guilt I felt. I should have remembered that part of his past, as his friend. I should have remembered how painful the subject was for him, but I hadn't.

Shinobu-sempai may have let it happen, but I should have paid attention to what I was doing. I should have considered all the facts before I blundered ahead with my interview. Pointing an accusing finger at Shinobu-sempai would have done me no good; I was just as much to blame as he was. I could only hope that Mitsuru-sempai would come to the right conclusion.

Somehow, I knew that Shinobu-sempai would be there to guide him.

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TBC...

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	8. Mitsuru's Interlude

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**What is Family?**

**Part 8 - Mitsuru's Interlude - **

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A/N: Just so there is no confusion, this part is written from Mitsuru's POV and occurs   
immediately after Part 7. 

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The moment I was out of Shun's sight, I broke into a run, putting everything I had into that one desperate move. I wasn't sure why I was doing it; I just knew that I needed to get away from Greenwood. I needed to get away from the look in Shun's eyes. Most of all, I needed to get away from myself.

So I took the coward's way out, and ran. For the first time in my life, I ran from something, instead of facing it.

No – that was a lie. I'd been running from the truth all along, but I never realized until that moment. I hadn't realized what I'd been doing until Shun read his damned interview notes to me. It was strange, that of all people, _Shun_ should be the one to open my eyes.

I think I was in shock that _Shun_ was the one who forced me to face the truth. I would never have expected it from him. Shinobu, now _that_ I could see, but not Shun.

After a while, the shock started to wear off and I finally noticed that my body was screaming bloody murder at me for the abuse I was putting it through. My legs ached, my lungs burned, and my eyes stung from where the wind whipped at my face.

I winced inwardly as I slowed to a walk, knowing that I was going to pay for over-exerting myself like that in the morning. It had been a long time since I'd done something so stupid, so maybe it was justified in the greater scheme of things.

Sighing, I glanced around, more than a little curious at where my panicked flight had led me. Imagine my surprise when I caught a glimpse of eye-searing yellow peeking out from behind a bush.

I really should have known, of course. Where else would I have gone? It was my refuge when I was younger. The one place that I'd always felt safe, before I met Shinobu.

It was a small children's park, decorated in the blindingly bright colors that kids are always drawn too, and adults avoid like the plague. Well…most adults, anyway.

I found myself staring at the tangled mess of monkey bars, climbing tunnels, slides, and the rope web that I used to spend hours playing on when I was younger. I was too big to play on them now of course, but the swing set was still just my size.

It's kind of funny – not funny haha, funny weird funny – to think that no matter how old I get, those same swings would always be the right size for me. There's probably some kind of mathematical equation or theory to explain it, but I couldn't really care less.

I had to step out of the way of a little boy who was laughing uncontrollably as his puppy chased him around the park. Kids have it so easy. All they ever have to worry about is the monster under the bed, or the one in the closet. None of the stupid stuff adults have to deal with. I almost wished that I could be a kid again, just so my problems would go away. Almost.

Shaking my head and smiling, I headed along the outer edge of the small baseball diamond, only a little surprised to see that there was no game being played at the moment.

As long as I could remember, there was always _someone_ playing baseball. Maybe it was just too late in the day, or the season. Shrugging, I left the small dirt path and headed towards a large clump of trees and shrubbery.

Hidden in the back of the park in a forgotten corner, there's a miniature forest – a tiny little clump of nature in the middle of the city, and at the center of it is the swing set.

It's definitely seen better days, that much is for certain. Most of the paint has worn away, leaving a dull metal sheen, and the chains of the swings are covered in rust. No one knows just how old the swing set is, but one thing I do know; I've always found a quiet sort of acceptance there that I've never been able to find anywhere else.

That's probably the reason I ended up there, the only place that I had ever felt completely at peace. With Shinobu, I came close – but there was always something holding me back. I was hoping that I would be able to figure out just what it was that kept me from giving my heart to him completely.

I sensed him before I saw him. Maybe it was the aura of calm he had about him, or that bond between us that I had felt so many times before, but I knew he was there. Damn his little black heart.

Stepping around the last two trees, I felt something in me twist. He was sitting on the swing farthest from me; his hands wrapped loosely around the chains, head lowered as though he were deep in thought.

I didn't know what to do. I could feel the fresh pain and resentment roiling within me, and _he_ was the focus of it all.

He _knew_ what Shun's article had been about, but he hadn't warned me. He _knew_, and he didn't try to stop it. In fact, knowing him, he probably encouraged Shun.

I felt my eyes narrow at that thought, anger mixing in with the confusion and pain. Taking the swing next to Shinobu, I found myself staring at my feet, unable to look at him.

"You knew." Not a question, and not an accusation, it was a simple statement.

He didn't say anything for a long moment, and then the soft scuffle of his feet against the dirt filled the heavy silence between us. Turning to look, I bit back a smile as I watched Tezuka Shinobu swinging.

"Hai."

It never ceased to amaze me how Shinobu never had to raise his voice to be heard. No matter what the situation, or whatever the circumstances, people never failed to listen to him. Maybe it was a certain type of charisma. Maybe it was that fact that his quiet dignity demanded no less. Or maybe, just maybe, it was because people were afraid of him.

Most people, I knew, were afraid of what was going on behind that bland little smile of his. They never guessed that that beneath it all, he was every bit as human as they were, if not more.

"Then why? Why, Shinobu?" This time I couldn't help it; I couldn't understand how he could do something that would hurt me so much, if he really loved me.

But maybe that was the problem? Maybe he didn't love me as much as I loved him…?

"Don't you _dare._ Don't you dare do that, Mitsuru."

I blinked in surprise, torn from my thoughts at the sudden harshness in his voice. Looking up, I saw that he had stopped swinging, and that he was looking at me coldly, his eyes unreadable.

"Wha -?"

Shinobu snorted derisively, his glare gaining in intensity.

"Don't act like you have no idea what I'm talking about, Mitsuru. You're not an idiot."

All the anger, hurt, and frustration that had been building up within me my entire life exploded out of me.

"And don't act like you're so dammed high and mighty, Shinobu! Despite what you think, you're not GOD!"

He blinked at me, an odd look on his face.

And then the corner of his mouth quirked upwards into the tiniest of smiles.

"Perhaps the next closest thing?"

I couldn't help it, maybe it was the stress, or maybe it was the strange little smile on his face, but I laughed.

It was a private joke between the two of us that everyone seemed to view Shinobu as some kind of untouchable god. It was funny, watching others go out of their way to avoid his wrath.

"More like a godling." I replied, grinning a little.

He raised an eyebrow at that, and the smile grew slightly.

"Even so, you know what I'm talking about, Mitsuru. I know you don't like talking about it, but eventually you _will_ have to do something about it."

Sighing, I looked back down at my feet. Damned right I didn't like thinking about it – I couldn't think of a single person who would. Who, in their right mind, would want to be reminded that they were unwanted? That they were some kind of burden?

I imagine my real parents must have been thrilled to have me off their hands the moment they left me under that tree. And why wouldn't they have been? They didn't have a messy, screaming baby to look after anymore. They left me under a tree on the grounds of my adoptive family's shrine, and that was the end of that – as far as they were concerned.

My new family had never made any fuss about it, but I _knew._ How couldn't I, when all I needed to do was look in the mirror to know that I didn't belong with them? At first, it didn't matter so much to me, because I was still a kid. And like any child, I couldn't see the differences that separated people. All I knew was that I was loved, and that I loved them.

So then _when_ had that all changed? When did I realize that I was becoming a burden again? When did I start distancing myself from my family? Was it when I joined that gang in junior high? Or was it before then?

"Mitsuru."

Looking up, I saw the pained look in Shinobu's eyes, and felt a sharp ache in my chest at the sight. I was doing it again, becoming a burden to someone else. And that was the last thing I had ever wanted to be. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt Shinobu.

His expression hardened, and I waited for those damning words to fall from his mouth. I waited for him to tell me that I was like a brick dragging him down, that he couldn't fly while I was holding him back. That he was better off without me…

"Dammit, Mitsuru! Will you stop doing that?"

I gave a start as he grabbed my shoulders and gave me a good shake, jolting me out of my thoughts.

"I swear, you're worse than Hasukawa at times. Will you kindly listen to me?"

Annoyed by Shinobu's manhandling, I bit back a retort and met his gaze. His eyes narrowed slightly at my surly expression, but he decided to ignore it for the moment.

"What do you think of your family?"

I stared at him with equal amounts of confusion and surprise. What the hell kind of question was that?

"Shinobu, are you all right?"

His eyes narrowed further and his hands on my shoulders tightened slightly. Not enough to hurt, but definitely enough to get my attention.

"Just answer the question, Mitsuru."

"I…well…I love them."

His expression cleared, and his grip on my shoulders loosened. I thought I saw a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes, but I wasn't sure.

"And what do you think of me?"

This time my answer took a little longer in coming. It was like someone asking if a certain shirt made them look fat. You were damned if you did, damned if you didn't. I didn't know what he was up to, but I knew that I was treading a thin line.

"Shin, you know I love you."

His lips curved upwards in that smile that I loved to see. The one that was meant only for _me._

He raised one hand from my shoulder and brushed away an errant lock of hair that had fallen across my eyes with the back of his knuckles, in an infinitely gentle gesture. It was the little things like that, which made me fall in love with him. The sweet, quiet moments between us that made me realize just how much he meant to me.

Which is why the slap to the side of my head was a surprise.

"What the hell did you do that for, Shin?"

He just smiled back at me, that slow, sweet smile I had come to love.

"Because you're a baka."

I frowned at him; suddenly uncertain where he was going with this bizarre line of …whatever the hell it was he was doing. And then I felt that unpleasant stomach-churning fear that I knew so well. Too well, it seemed. Why was he asking me these questions…unless?

I received another slap to the head, and then Shinobu used his hold on my shoulders to pull me into a tight hug, his body warm and familiar against mine. I closed my eyes and allowed my fear and insecurities to take a backseat in my mind.

"Mitsuru, if you love your family so strongly, what makes you think that they don't love you just as much?"

My eyes, which had closed of their own accord, snapped open in surprise. I could feel the slight vibration in Shinobu's chest with each word he spoke, and it was as though they became engraved in my mind.

I almost voiced a protest as Shinobu gently pushed me from him a little in order to see my face. I could see the concern in his eyes, and it warmed my heart. To know that someone like him could love me so much…

"I love you, Tezuka Shinobu."

He raised an eyebrow at my words, his eyes smiling at me even if his lips didn't.

"What brought that on?"

I lifted a hand and ran a finger along the fine hairs of his eyebrow, smiling slightly. He held still, watching my eyes.

"Because it's true?"

He raised his hand again, and I flinched, expecting another slap to the head, only to feel the cool caress of his hand on my cheek.

Cracking open one eye, I peered at him warily.

"Think about it, Mitsuru? For yourself, if not for me?"

I was confused for a moment, my thoughts dangerously disoriented by his presence so close to me. What had we been talking about?

"Your family needs you, Mitsuru. Just like you need them – it's not fair to deny them their oldest son, is it?"

I dropped my head onto his shoulder in defeat. Damn him, did he always have to get his way? Of course, I would think about it now, thanks to his meddling. Damn him. Damn him, damn him.

"Mitsuru?"

"I'll think about it." I mumbled, my voice muffled by his shirt.

Instead of gloating over his victory – for there could be no doubt in either of our minds that that was what it was – Shinobu wrapped his arms around me for a second hug. Folding my own arms around him, I smiled into his shoulder.

I should have known things would turn out like this. I always knew he was a master at manipulation, but this time…this time I don't think I minded quite so much.

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TBC...

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	9. Chapter 8

* * *

**What is Family? by Hoshiko**

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Here is Greenwood_, I'm just borrowing the characters for a little bit. 

**Chapter 8**

After Mitsuru-sempai left I went back to my room, and as Suka still hadn't returned from track practice decided to go through my interview notes in order to make a tentative outline of the article I was going to write. True, I still needed to interview Suka and Shinobu-sempai, but I felt that it would be better to have at least some idea of the direction I wanted to take the assignment I'd been given. After all, I'd managed to gather some very informative and surprising results over the week, and it would have been a shame to waste that.

It's obvious from the start that the residents here at Greenwood are a little…different than most people. Not in a bad way, really, just…different.

There are a lot of talented people living at Greenwood, most noticeably Shinobu-sempai and Mitsuru-sempai, but…there are other people living here than just the two of them. Everyone here has some kind of talent or ability or just something that makes them stand out a little more than usual. It's part of the reason people outside of Greenwood tend to look at us like we're a little strange sometimes. The people who don't know about all the goings on in the dorm, or the little quirks everyone here has.

The one thing I have noticed in the time I've been living here is that we tend to look out for one another, even if we don't particularly get along all that well most of the time. Or act like we don't, in Suka's case.

I think most of us are…not resigned, exactly, but used to the fact that we simply aren't like most people and have come to accept that much of ourselves. Suka though…he's trying so hard to be normal that he's shutting out the part of himself that belongs here. I'm pretty sure that's why Mitsuru-sempai is so hard on him most of the time. It's why we're all so hard on him at times. We see the way he treats himself and want to help, but he makes everything so complicated because he sees the way he thinks things should be and confuses that with the way things really are.

It's not wrong or bad that Suka wants to be normal, at least I don't think so, but…what is normal anyway? For me being normal is nothing like what Suka must see as normal – in fact I know it's not, but it's my definition of normal. Shinobu-sempai's…actually, I don't really think I want to know what Shinobu-sempai's definition of normal is, but I'm sure it's not Suka's idea of normal. The same goes for Mitsuru-sempai's and everyone else's definition of normal compared to Suka's.

So which one was the 'right' kind of normal? I don't think even Suka would have an answer for that if I asked him. Knowing him though, he'd puff up at me like an annoyed cat if I did ask him.

It's funny, really…at first I had thought that the assignment Masutani-sensei gave me was pointless, some kind of…punishment for not working a hard as I could in class, but I was actually starting to enjoy it. I might not choose to be a journalist after I finish school, but it was an education in more ways than one. I'd learned more about the people I lived with at Greenwood in a handful of days than I had in all the time I'd lived there.

Masutani-sensei must have known – or at least suspected – that something like that was going to happen when I started my assignment, otherwise I sincerely doubt he would have given it to me. I have to wonder though, if it something he'd done before, or if it was just a spur of the moment kind of thing. It felt like a little of each, and I wondered what he would have said if I'd thought to interview him. If I'd been thinking when I'd compiled my interview list I probably would have, I'm sure he would have had some interesting things to say if I'd interviewed him.

I was in the middle of jotting down a few observations I'd made during my interview with the dorm lady when the door opened and Suka walked in looking very much worn out. Pleased with himself, but undoubtedly exhausted.

"Suka?"

He gave me a slight smile, shutting the door behind him as he headed for the bunk bed, dropping his gym bag next to his desk as he went past.

"Are you all right? You look…tired."

Sometimes it pays to be…tactful, especially when you're going to want a favor of sorts from someone. Not that I doubted Suka would refuse to be interviewed – Shinobu-sempai's unspoken threats aside – but he is a bit on the moody side at times, so…

"Practice ran longer than I thought." He muttered, scowling at the ladder leading to the top bunk as though it were mocking him. "I just need a little sleep before dinner and I'll be fine."

Watching him staring at the ladder, it occurred to me that he wasn't really in any shape to be climbing things at the moment. Actually…he looked more dead on his feet than anything else at that point, and I gave a little more consideration to the possibility that the track coach really was after Suka than I had before. He certainly looked like he'd been run into the ground, and I was worried that he might consider climbing up the ladder to get to his bed to be too much trouble and fall asleep on the floor of our room. He'd done it often enough in the past when he was that tired that it was a definite possibility. Especially when he started eyeing the space under the window with a sort of…longing that I was all too familiar with.

"If you'd like, you can use my bed." I offered, hoping he wasn't going to be stupid and refuse.

Suka surprised me by accepting my offer after a moment, all but falling into bed with nothing at all like grace. Laughing, I helped him get under the covers and comfortably settled while he glared at me.

"I'll wake you up for dinner, all right?" I asked, reaching for the sleeping curtain to block out the light.

Suka mumbled an acknowledgement and was asleep in moments, expression shifting from mildly annoyed to semi-content. And then he started snoring.

Rolling my eyes, I decided to finish working on what I had on my article before tackling my usual load of homework before dinner. Turning back to my desk, I found myself wondering how it was possible Suka didn't wake himself up with all the noise he made.

* * *

As promised, I woke Suka up for dinner and we got through that fairly well, considering the fact that he was still half asleep. I don't think he even noticed that Shinobu-sempai and Mitsuru-sempai weren't there. 

Suka didn't really wake up until we got back to our room, and even then he was still a little groggy. That was probably the only reason I managed to get an answer out of him regarding what had been bothering him so badly all week. I honestly don't think he meant to tell me – or anyone, but…there is only so long someone can go with something like that bothering them.

"It's Kazuhiro," Suka told me, lying on bed and avoiding my eyes by staring at the bottom of his bunk, "he's just been more…annoying lately. He shows up wherever I am and he just…stands there and watches me with this stupid look on his face."

Have I mentioned that Suka has a tendency to make things more complicated than they really need to be? Or that he's got major issues when it comes to his brother and sister-in-law?

"That's it?" I asked, feeling the urge to smack come sense into him with the closets thing at hand. "You've had me so worried about you I haven't been sleeping well because your brother is looking at you funny?"

I probably haven't mentioned that Suka's issues have naturally become my issues because we're roommates, have I? Or the fact that I think he's being a complete and total idiot about them?

"Suka, you idiot!"

"What? What?"

Sighing, I buried my face in my hands and counted backwards from ten, trying to calm myself down a little before saying something I might regret. And then I thought of something that made me feel a little bit guilty.

"Suka, how long has he been doing this?" I asked, looking up at him with the sinking feeling that I knew what his answer was going to be.

He frowned at me and shrugged, going back to his staring match with the underside of his bunk. "A few days, not that long."

Ah, so I really was to blame, then. Or rather, Masutani-sensei was.

"Suka…did you talk to him?"

He shrugged again, still not looking at me. I was starting to feel bad for snapping at him, but he really had had me worried and it was such a relief to know that there wasn't something seriously wrong going on with him. Not that his issues with his brother aren't serious, but that's something I know for certain that will take care of itself in time. Anything else, though…

"I tried to, but he was acting all weird. Wouldn't give me a straight answer." Suka muttered, and then he turned his head to look straight at me. "He said to ask you, because you were behind it."

I'd never really had the urge to scream in frustration more than at that moment with Suka looking at me like I'd somehow betrayed his trust. As it was, I wound up staring at him in something like shock, and then I remembered the look on his face the other night, and everything made a sickening sort of sense.

Getting to my feet I walked over to my bed and grabbing Suka by the front of his shirt hauled him to his feet and gave him a good, strong shake. Luckily for me, he was too shocked to do anything more than stare at me in surprise. As Mitsuru-sempai has reason to know, Suka has a good right hook.

"You really are an idiot, aren't you." I said, staring at Suka with a small smile, hands tangled in his shirt. "You've let this bother you for days and all you had to do was ask me what was going on."

Suka glared at me, jerking free of my hold to put space between us like he thought we might actually come to blows. "Why should I? For all I knew you were planning something with him like you did with Shinobu and Mitsuru when I first moved in!"

"Suka – "

"You really thought that was funny, didn't you? Poking fun at the new kid because he's too stupid to figure it out and weak and – "

That was when I hit him.

I might have mentioned that Suka has a good right hook, but I'm not too bad myself. I don't like fighting and I'd rather not do it at all, but there are times when it's necessary. And at that time…I really think it was. Not because of what Suka was saying about me, or what he was implying, but because of what he was saying about himself.

"You hit me!"

Suka was looking at me with this…shocked expression and I wasn't doing much better, shaking with anger and surprise, my knuckles stinging and tears pricking at my eyes.

"Yeah? Well you deserved it."

That brought both of us up short and we turned around to see Shinobu-sempai and Mitsuru-sempai standing in the doorway, identical looks of amusement on their faces. Mitsuru-sempai lifted a hand and gestured at the wall separating our rooms with a meaningful look.

"You two might want to keep your voices down – I'm sure you wouldn't want news of your little lover's spat getting around."

"You – "

Suka scrambled to his feet and headed towards Mitsuru-sempai, and I grabbed him before he could do anything he'd regret, like start another fight with Mitsuru-sempai.

"That's better," Mitsuru-sempai said, smirking at the two of us while I had my hands full keeping my furious roommate from attacking him, "now kiss and make up so we can all get some sleep."

"Mitsuru-sempai! You're just making him angrier!"

Shinobu-sempai chuckled, and I almost let go of Suka at the sound of it. It's never a good thing when Shinobu-sempai laughs like that.

"It seems we came at a bad time, Mitsuru. Perhaps we should leave the lovebirds alone to settle their…differences."

Smiling at us, Mitsuru-sempai gave a shrug and followed Shinobu-sempai out of our room, pausing to glance back at us. "Don't do anything we wouldn't do, you two!"

Which left Suka and me in a rather awkward position, staring at the open doorway where they'd been.

"Shun?"

"Yes, Suka?"

"I think you can let go of me now, I'm okay."

"Oh! Yeah, all right." I said, hastily letting go and moving to shut the door before anyone could come by and see us.

Turning back to face Suka, I ran a hand through my hair and smiled a little sheepishly. "Sorry about hitting you, Suka."

He gave a weak little laugh and sat down on the edge of my bed, rubbing his cheek. "No, Mitsuru was right, Shun. I deserved it. I wasn't being fair to you and – "

"That's not why I did it!"

We jumped as Mitsuru-sempai thumped on the wall separating our rooms at my raised voice, ordering us to keep it down so they could sleep.

Shaking my head, I looked up to see Suka looking at me with this completely confused expression on his face. "Then why - "

Sighing, I took a seat next to Suka so that we were facing one another. "I don't like it when anybody says bad things about the people I care about."

"But – "

"Suka, you may be an idiot when it comes to some things, but you aren't stupid, and you aren't weak. You're the best friend I've ever had and I hate it when you talk like that about yourself."

"Shun – "

"I'm writing an article for my journalism class about what 'family' means to people and I interviewed your brother," I said, not looking at Suka but at my hands on my lap, fingers locked together, "I guess it must have gotten to him more than I thought."

Silence. The kind that's fragile and brittle and feels like needles against your skin.

And then Suka sighed, sweeping the silence away with a tired laugh. "I really am an idiot, aren't I?"

"Yeah, you are." I agreed, laughing a little as I gave Suka a light push. "But that's okay."

"So I guess that's what Shinobu was talking about the other day, huh?"

I nodded, feeling the tension between us draining away. "Yeah. I'd still like to interview you if you don't mind? We could do it some other time if you don't feel like it tonight."

"That…that sounds like a good idea, actually. I don't think I would be very helpful right now."

And that was pretty much it for that night, both of us too tired and drained to do much more than smile goofily at one another while we got ready for bed. I got a promise from Suka to interview him the next day after morning classes and to talk more about the misunderstanding that had had us twisted up in knots before too much time passed and Suka's insecurities started picking apart the tentative peace we'd reached.

To be continued...


	10. Chapter 9

* * *

**What is Family? by Hoshiko and silvershadeus**

* * *

**Disclaimer:**We do not own _ Here is Greenwood_, we're just borrowing the characters for a bit. 

**Chapter 9**

As things turned out, I didn't need to have that talk with Suka after all – Mitsuru-sempai got to him first. I'm still not exactly sure what it was he did to Suka, but whatever it was seemed to have gotten through to him given that he looked a whole lot calmer when we met up in our room for the interview. I do have the suspicion that part of what went on between the two of them must have involved Mitsuru-sempai's rolled up magazine and Suka's head because the first thing he did when he saw me was to ask if we had any aspirin. The second was to mutter about Mitsuru-sempai and taking things a little too literally when it came to phrases about beating sense into people.

Suka doesn't like going to the infirmary unless he really has to, considering the fact that his brother works there, so we tend to keep little things like aspirin, stomachache and band-aids around. It's not that Suka's trying to avoid his brother because of family problems or misunderstandings on either of their parts, it's more that Suka's avoiding him because Hasukawa-sensei likes to tease him.

Things have gotten a little better between Suka and Hasukawa-sensei, since that first winter break, but…it's better for Suka's blood pressure if he can manage to stay away from Hasukawa-sensei when he can.

I got the aspirin bottle out of my desk drawer and handed Suka two pills and put the bottle away again while he went in search of water. I spent the rest of the time waiting for him to get back by settling my self comfortably at my desk and taking out my notebook and pen. I had just turned to a blank page and was writing Suka's name and the date down when I looked up to see Suka watching me. I smiled at the expression on his face as he sat on the edge of my bunk, paper cup filled with water cradled in his hands.

"Did you take your aspirin?"

Suka says he hates it when we mother him, but I think he really likes that we do it deep down - otherwise he'd make more of a fuss when we do. We wouldn't 'pester' him so much as he puts it, if there weren't times that he makes it impossible _not_ to worry about him. It's really his fault for making every little thing more complicated than they need to be, now that I think about it.

Don't get me wrong – we really do care about Suka – we just tend to show it in different ways.

Suka nodded, taking a sip of his water and watching me with this look that was part nervousness and part suspicion, which is…actually pretty close to normal for him when he has to deal with situations he's not completely sure he wants any part of.

"All right, Suka," I said brightly, "are you ready?"

He grumbled something under his breath and nodded, still wary.

"Okay…there's really only one question I need to ask you, so there's nothing to worry about."

I tried my best to set him at ease, but I think having Hasukawa-sensei…shadowing him around the last few days added to who knows what kind of conspiracy theories he'd been cooking up in his head had given him the wrong idea about my journalism assignment. He looked more like he expected to be executed than interviewed, and that…that just wasn't the best kind of attitude for the question I was going to ask him. I told him that I only needed to ask him one question, which was the truth – but I'd discovered over the week and several interviews that the question itself wasn't really that simple. It tended to branch outwards offering new questions and insights along the way that I hadn't expected.

"What does family mean to you?" I asked, watching his face carefully for his reaction to my question.

"What?"

I repeated the question and waited patiently for his answer, hoping that he would at least try be honest with himself about his answer. I don't think Suka's brother would be able to get to him half as much as he seems to if Suka didn't care a great deal for him, and then there was the matter of Sumire, his parents…

"A hassle." Suka said after a moment, looking tired and frustrated and a little bit angry. "That's what family means to me, Shun. Just one big endless hassle."

I tried not to, I really did, but I laughed. I know it was hardly professional of me to do that, but the look on his face and the way he'd said it…

"Do you really mean that?" I asked him after I'd managed to get my laughter in check.

Suka glared at me and took another sip of his water, which made me think that the only reason he'd brought it with him was for some sort of…shield, maybe. Or maybe something more like a security blanket, something to hide behind and make it look like he wasn't as uncomfortable about the whole thing as I knew he was.

I gave him a few moments to get his thoughts in order, making notes and trying to figure out a way to word my next question so it wouldn't set him off or make him close down. In the end though, there was only one-way to do it…it's true what they say, you know. Sometimes the simplest, most obvious methods are the best way to do things.

"Really, Suka?"

The trick to doing an interview, I'd learned, was not to talk but to listen. Giving the interviewee a prod once in a while was okay, but the way to get a good interview out of someone was just to let them talk. That way they would end up telling you more than they had expected to while without even realizing it.

"Well…there was a time when things weren't so bad between Kazuhiro and me, I guess." Suka admitted reluctantly. "He took care of me after our parents died and I really looked up to him for that."

"What happened?"

Suka sighed and rubbed his face. "Sumire."

Ah. I probably should have expected that, knowing the things that I do about Suka and his family life.

"So she was the problem?"

"Yes…no…I don't know anymore." Suka said, looking at me. "I'm not angry at her or Kazuhiro or anything, it's just…everything changed after she married my brother. Things…weren't the same."

"How so?"

"She…I…she married my brother, but I was in love with her," Suka said slowly as though he was just beginning to work it all out for the first time, "so it was uncomfortable for me to be around them when they were acting like…like…"

"Like newlyweds?" I offered with a slight smile when he couldn't find the right word.

"Yeah. Like newlyweds." He said with a little frown. "It was hard watching them being so happy when I wasn't."

So he decided he wanted to leave and wound up here at Greenwood. Where his brother worked as a school nurse and Mitsuru-sempai took him under his wing with Shinobu-sempai and I became his roommate.

Probably nothing at all how he expected things to go, though I really do hope he doesn't regret the way things have turned out. After all, life here at Greenwood became a lot more interesting after Suka arrived, and considering how things were before, that's saying quite a bit.

"How do you feel about them now?" I asked after a long moment, thinking about what things must have been like for Suka since he'd come to Greenwood.

"I really don't know. It's a little better now, but Kazuhiro…it's like he enjoys making me miserable sometimes. He goes out of his way to pick on me, and…it's frustrating."

"That sounds like the way Mitsuru-sempai treats you." I said, not really thinking about what I was saying. "Shinobu-sempai too."

"That's…that's why it's a hassle." Suka groaned, rubbing his eyes. "It's like I have two more big brothers since I came here."

I really don't think Suka realized what he was saying when he told me that either, otherwise I don't think he would have slept so well that night. It's like a habit of his worry things to death in his head, trying to analyze things until he's nothing more than a bundle of very frayed, very ragged nerves ready to go off at the slightest thing. If he'd actually been listening to the things he said…

I on the other hand, heard what he was saying perfectly well, and it got _me_ thinking about things. About my assignment, about the interviews I'd done that week and the answers I'd gotten, about my personal views on what made a family and how they'd changed over the course of the week.

One thing is certain about Suka, he has this…_way_ about him that can make you want to take a better look at your life and the way you do things without even meaning to. It's part of his charm and part of the reason we can be so hard on him at times because he doesn't do the same thing for himself.

He second-guesses himself instead, worrying away at his self-esteem and insecurities until you either want to smack him or hug him or _both_, just to get the message through his thick skull.

I was about to ask him what he meant by that, but the alarm clock I'd set to remind us when afternoon classes started went off and I had to end the interview there. I didn't mind that much because I'd gotten the information I needed and a little more besides.

"Come on, Suka! We're going to be late for class if you don't hurry!" I called, grabbing his arm and dragging him towards the door and out of the building.

He grumbled a bit and had to stop to throw his water away in the trash, but he followed readily enough. I was relieved to see that he was acting more like his usual self, and I knew things would wind up working out for him one way or another. If Suka couldn't come to terms with his family issues on his own, then Mitsuru-sempai, Shinobu-sempai and I would do what we could to help him. It's just the way things are at Greenwood.

To be continued...


End file.
